Business InsiderBrowse the published research from 23andMe, and you may be amazed by how much the genetic testing startup has discovered in a few years.
Send in your spit and take a few surveys, and you'll get an idea of how much more is coming.READ MORE

Medical XpressA study published Nov. 9 in the journal Science Translational Medicine is the first to show that mutations in certain cancer and cardiovascular genes put individuals at an increased risk for dominantly inherited, actionable conditions, regardless of family medical history.READ MORE

LiveScienceNeanderthals and modern humans interbred long ago, but evolution has purged many of our caveman relative's genes from modern human genomes, a new study finds.
Neanderthals were the closest extinct relatives of modern humans. Previous research suggested that modern humans migrating out of Africa encountered and interbred with Neanderthals tens of thousands of years ago.READ MORE

The Washington PostIn a pair of good news/bad news reports, the federal government said Thursday that cigarette smoking among adult Americans continues to decline sharply but that 40 percent of all cancer diagnoses now are linked to tobacco use. Those malignancies go beyond cancer in the lungs to include a dozen other parts of the body, including the throat, stomach, pancreas and liver.READ MORE

The Washington PostLung cancer, which kills almost 160,000 Americans a year, is among the cruelest of foes. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and after punishing chemotherapy still have a bleak prognosis. More than half die within a year.
Bit by bit, though, scientists are making progress against the nation’s biggest cancer killer. READ MORE

HIT ConsultantWestchester Medical Center Health Network, a provider of advanced medical care in New York’s Hudson Valley is teaming up with Philips to launch a new precision medicine initiative for personalized cancer treatment. As part of the precision medicine initiative, WMCHealth will use Philips’ IntelliSpace Genomics solution to integrate large-scale genomic analysis with extensive patient clinical data, to provide a comprehensive patient view for precision-tailored treatment.READ MORE

Health Information DesignsSpending on specialty pharmaceuticals climbed 18 percent in 2015, compared to an increase of less than 1 percent for standard prescription medications. Despite their effectiveness, specialty medications are under constant scrutiny—reflecting the growing concern of balancing clinical innovation with responsible spending.READ MORE

ForbesSince Donald Trump’s presidential election win, many are wondering whether Obamacare will survive – or whether it will disappear “on day one” of the new presidency. But future progress in healthcare doesn’t only depend on Obamacare. If we want to see a better healthcare going forward, paying for making people healthy, and making personalized and home-care a reality makes can get us far, too.READ MORE

Business InsiderIt's not exactly surprising that a partner of a venture capital firm with a tagline that "software is eating the world" thinks the same could be said for the drug industry.
Vijay Pande, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, runs the firm's bio fund.READ MORE

Genoptix Medical LaboratoryGenoptix, a Novartis company, is a leading CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified specialized laboratory focused on delivering diagnostic services to hematology/oncology patients and the physicians who treat them.

News-Medical.netScientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a portable and wearable terahertz scanning device made using arrays of carbon nanotubes, for non-invasive inspection of three-dimensional objects without requiring bulky peripheral optical components.READ MORE

Medical EconomicsMobile health technologies and other rapidly evolving medical technologies are now making it possible for physicians to connect to their patients in ways that will improve the experience of care, improve population health, and reduce the cost of healthcare. In short, the increasing use of medical technologies will help achieve the “triple aim” of healthcare delivery.READ MORE

ForbesAdult stem cell transplants can be very effective against certain leukemias and lymphomas. You get whacked with high-dose chemo or radiation to hopefully kill the cancer cells. Then you get blood-forming adult stem cells, usually donated from a family member. Assuming there’s a decent enough genetic match, you don’t reject them. They reboot the immune system. But these treatments can also be quite toxic, and tough to take.READ MORE

HealthPayer IntelligenceHealthcare payers looking to transition to new payment systems and better coordinate care across multiple facilities would benefit from working within accountable care organizations. Within ACOs, payment is linked to quality performance and any savings obtained through accountable care systems can be shared among payers and providers.READ MORE

MedPage Today via HealthLeaders MediaA study of 32 ACOs found that 16 of them were working to address patients' non-medical needs. Housing instability, food security and transportation were among the most common needs addressed, with various methods being used for each.READ MORE

MedPage TodayThe FDA has a big problem. It likes to approve new drugs and devices. Approvals look good politically and allow the FDA to boast each year about their large number of approvals. But when the FDA approves a drug or device that doesn't work or is dangerous, then it can get into hot water, fast.READ MORE

Healthcare DiveBefore medical devices can be put to practical use, they have to be approved by the FDA and then payers need to decide whether products merit coverage and payment. PCTF helps to ensure that medical device manufacturers design clinical trials to include data needed by payers to make coverage determinations. READ MORE

Harvard Business ReviewDespite healthcare’s remarkable track record holding out against the tides of change, there are finally holes in the dam. The healthcare internet is emerging node-by-node, provider-by-provider, and patient-by-patient. So, there’s really no longer a question of whether healthcare will join the rest of the economy and concede to the inevitable. READ MORE

NAMCP UPDATES

Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc., an innovative molecular information company focused on providing genetic diagnoses for neurological conditions through next generation sequencing, offers a broad range of genetic testing panels for epilepsy, including recently-added epiSEEK® Spotlight Panels designed to target genes that have been reported in association with specific phenotypes for epilepsy and seizure disorders. Please click here for more information..

Based on published clinical data, Humana, Medical Mutual of Ohio and Preferred One independently determined and published policies stating that Biodesix’ VeriStrat® test can be considered medically necessary for patients with advanced NSCLC. The VeriStrat test provides physicians with prognostic and predictive information to inform treatment of advanced NSCLC, and can facilitate patient-physician conversations about prognosis, life expectancy, and treatment recommendations. Click here for more information.

The treatment cost for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in the U.S. is approximately $14 billion a year and is projected to rise through 2020. To help managed care professionals more effectively analyze medical and pharmacy claims, Bayer has developed the “Treatment and Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Evidence” (TRACE) Analyzer. Click here for more information and who to contact.

In a recently published study, researchers demonstrated that the DecisionDx-UM gene expression profile test accurately predicts metastatic risk for uveal melanoma patients and is being used by physicians to appropriately guide patient care decisions with the ultimate goal to improve net health outcomes. Please click here to review the full press release.